


The Raven, the Ram and the Masks We All Wear

by LilacConstellations



Category: The Adventure Zone (Podcast)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Cannon complacent, Detectives, Domestic Fluff, Enemies to Lovers, Eventual Fluff, F/F, Fluff and Angst, Forbidden Love
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-12
Updated: 2021-01-11
Packaged: 2021-03-04 22:14:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 5,201
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25213753
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LilacConstellations/pseuds/LilacConstellations
Summary: Hurley is good at her job. It’s the one thing she’s good at, but falling in love with the thief she’s supposed to be stopping makes things hard.My take on Hurley and Sloane’s love story and the ways we all hide from our reflection.
Relationships: Hurley/Sloane (The Adventure Zone)
Comments: 9
Kudos: 13





	1. The Thief

The thief Hurley was going after impressed her in ways she wouldn’t admit. She was something out of the dramas a teenage Hurley would relish in reading. She had such a flare, such suaveness and percision. She defied the status quo like it was her job. Unfortunately it seemed that Hurley now was the status quo, at least in was her job to enforce it. Even if the thief was something a teenage Hurley would swoon over the detective had to bring her in.

She had a solid lead. Solid enough considering this town. Goldcliff wasn’t perfect but it was home. She strapped her staff to her back and tucked her bright hair under her hood. She was going alone to a potential next mark. A risky move but one she’d take for the stealth and that lack of trust she’d need to put in others.  
The building wasn’t like any of the thief’s other targets. An early hint that the tip wasn’t any good. Still she knocked on the door of what she’d now gathered was a repair shop. It opened.   
It was empty of people but full of parts. A dead end. She really needed to start working harder if she wanted to keep this case. Looked like a workshop for battle wagons. Hurley couldn’t help but admire the work. She wouldn’t call it in obviously, battle wagons were illegal in the same way jaywalking was. Unfortunately it was illegal enough that the day Hurley swore onto the militia she kissed that pipe dream away. For an officer of the law a lot of her childhood dreams involved breaking it.

Hurley had just about given up. She turned to the door but someone was already standing in the frame. Their face a picture of shock. Hurley was halfway through stammering out an apology when she began to realize she the women in front of her.  
Long black hair. Brown skin. Tall figure. Now she saw her face for the first time. A face she wouldn’t soon forget. A face a picture of shock.  
“It’s you,” Hurley gasped.  
“Get out!”  
“Why should I?”  
“This is private property!”  
“That you intend to steal form I imagine. You’re the thief, the one who’s made quite the name.”  
“No. I... I’m getting something for a friend.”  
“So you wouldn’t mind me taking your prints.”  
She took a step back, “You can’t.”  
“It shouldn’t be a problem and you refusal makes me need to insist.”  
The half elf stood frozen starring her down. Then she sighed, “This is what he gets for disrespecting me,” she mumbled to herself.  
“Pardon?”  
“There’s something planned for the parlour on second street. The one in the tourist district, a quarter past midnight, you’ll need backup.”  
“Are you giving me intel? How do I know this isn’t a bluff?”  
“You don’t, but how stupid will you feel when you wake up to hear the news after stopping a robbery that wasn’t even happening.”  
“What time is it now?”  
“11:30 I’d say.”  
Hurley eyed the half elf before she counted her losses and ran past her, calling back up on her stone of farspeach.  
•  
The intel was sound. They brought in two guys. Men they’d been after for awhile. Kinda guys that made Hurley proud of the work she was doing. She’d be happy to have them off the streets. She wasn’t happy that the thief was still out there. Not happy in any way she’d admit. The only slight victory she felt was that the shop came out unscathed. Yes that was it. That little bit of joy was because the thief told the truth and she stole nothing there. 

Her career was far from over. Hurley sighed as she heard tales of her next heist and worked hard to crack the code of how to stop up coming ones. The thief was always a few steps ahead. It didn’t help that Hurley withheld the extra details of her appearance that she learned.   
She was ready for the heist on the new moon. She was doing patrol for another case when her stone lit up. Any units in the cliffside district. The thief has been spotted. 

Hurley ran fast. She was just a block away and her monk training lent to quick speed. She slid out of an alley and found herself face to face with the thief, once again met with those wide eyes. She looked almost the exact same. Similar dark clothing, just a little more athletic and a tight mask running from the collar of her shirt to over her nose.  
“I don’t wanna hurt you,” she said drawing two blades from her belt.  
Hurley pulled the staff from her back, “Something tells me otherwise.”  
Hurley struck first but the thief reacted quick. She meant what she said, but she was also a fighter. She stuck to shallow cuts that threw Hurley off her rhythm. After one across her knuckles the staff dropped from Hurley’s hands. The thief took a step back and adjusted her postures  
“Are you done now?” She asked cocking her head. Hurley dove for her knocking them both to the ground. She grunted as Hurley reached for hand cuffs.   
“Oh no you don’t!”   
She yanked at Hurley’s reaching hand and managed to switch their positions. Pinning Hurley to the ground and kneeling over top of her. Hurley thrashed to no avail.   
“You know assaulting an officer isn’t gonna help your case.”  
“Not trying to build one detective.”  
“I knew it was you. I knew it was you in that shop.”  
“Detective, if I let you go are you gonna be a good girl?”  
Hurley shifted her hand and managed to click to handcuff around the thief’s left wrist.  
“You’re crafty.”  
“You’re standing between me and a premonition.”  
“How cold.” The thief began running a hand along the detectives side.  
“Hey! What do you think you-“  
“Relax detective.” She reached into one of the many pockets on Hurley’s belt, “just buying myself some time.”   
Before Hurley could process the wand of lightning in her hand she was convulsing as her vision filled with white spots. And the thief got away.


	2. The Ram

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again. I can’t believe the graphic novel is out! I’m really excited for my copy to arrive. Quick disclaimer, whatever backstory established for them in the comic won’t effect my fic as I already have a general layout and a lot of ideas I don’t plan on changing.
> 
> One of my friends also kindly informed me that you don’t go from the rank of detective right to lieutenant (which I thought you did, I don’t know much about ranks) but let’s all pretend that’s how it works for story reasons.

It was hard Hurley to take a day off that week. The Captain insisted.  
“Detective Hurley, you worked Saturday. Can we try and pretend we’re obeying labour hours.”  
“Do criminals take the weekend off sir?”  
“I wish, I’ll call you if there’s any leads on your thief but please stay home.”

Hurley did not go home -it’s rarely where she spent her time- but she did take the day off. She got a coffee from a shop that brewed it much too strong and started heading to the edge of town. The edge of town where the race track settled and where ever other Sunday opportunity for Hurley’s guilty pleasure lie.  
Battle wagon racing. Hurley really shouldn’t be there, but neither should anyone else. The races were a perfect balance of everyone looking the other way. Can’t expose others without doing the same to yourself. All the racers were anonymous, best to keep all drama on the field.  
This weeks line up was good. A dozen racers, all hungry for the prize, and a few new ones. The Fox was an androgynous red head who was racing for just the second time today. More impressively there was the Raven, she’d been racing for a few months now and just last week she’d placed second. The Fox had a small crew but the Raven was one of few racers that worked alone. It was impressive but risky business. The Raccoon was one of the only other solo racers and he was taken out for good a few weeks ago.  
Hurley couldn’t help but rooting for the the Raven and she didn’t know why. At first it was just that she loved an underdog, but the Raven couldn’t be called one for long. She had such power on the field, like she commanded the track. She impressed and fascinated Hurley it a way that was oddly familiar. One might think it was too familiar.

And sure Hurley found her possibly a little attractive. Who wouldn’t find a tall mysterious women that seemed out for blood attractive? Probably people who didn’t read crime slash fiction as teens and then became detectives. It was a little weird to find someone cute when you hadn’t seen their face, but it was more the power that Hurley found attractive.

The Raven placed first. She stepped onto the podium in all her glory and the crowd lost it. As Hurley cheered that familiarity began to sink within her like a rock. A few pieces clicking into place. The Raven was tall with long black hair and dark skin. A beautiful woman with mischievous eyes. Eyes that seemed familiar. Eyes that had met Hurley’s before. The cheer choked in Hurley’s throat as realization dawned on her.  
•  
Hurley chastised herself later. It should have been obvious. She’d seen her in a battle wagon shop. The second Hurley left the stands she wanted to head to that shop, but she was nowhere near the headspace required for a confrontation. She let herself have the night to think. To process how foolish she was.  
She made plans to stop by the next day. Off the clock, in the desperate chance she was wrong and she’d just get an opportunity to talk about wagons. It was rare Hurley wanted a hunch to be wrong. It was rare the battle wagon racer she found cute happened to be a thief she was going after.

She knocked on the door and stood awkwardly waiting. After a few moments she knocked again.  
“Fine, come in I guess.” A distant voice called from in the building.  
She stepped inside. The Raven sat at a workbench tinkering with some engine parts. There was no mask on her face. She wore slacks and a tank top covered in grease stains. She didn’t look up from her work.  
“If you’re looking to make a trade send me a letter but I doubt I’ll be interested.”  
It took Hurley a moment to process the words. It took her a moment to process the room.  
“I’m not here for a trade, I’m here to talk.”  
“About what?” She glanced up with annoyed eyes. As soon as she saw Hurley her expression changed. They recognized each other, and neither of them were happy about it.  
“What crimes should I start with? The burglary or the battle wagons?”  
“I don’t have the slightest clue what you’re talking about,” she said but Hurley noticed her grab a screwdriver. Hurley would have made fun of the women’s useless weapon but she hadn’t even brought her staff.  
“I know you’re the Raven.”  
She rushed over and clamped a hand over Hurley’s mouth. “Don’t speak that name when I look like this.”  
Hurley pried her hand off, “So you are the Raven?”  
“Not in any way you can prove.”  
“What about the theft?”  
“You’ve got the wrong gal.”  
“I recognize your eyes.”  
“You make me blush detective, but you’ve got the wrong gal.” She set the screwdriver on the counter.  
“I should bring you in Raven.”  
“I said don’t call me that when I’m like this.”  
“What’s your name than?”  
“I’m not that stupid.”  
“Then I’ll keep calling you Raven.”  
“And what should I call you?”  
“Pick an animal.”  
“I was asking for your name.”  
“I know... and I’m asking you to come with me.”  
“How about the Ram?”  
Hurley smiled ever so slightly, “Yeah that works.”  
“Well then Ram, how about we have a chat?”  
Hurley told herself this conversation wouldn’t last long. She promised she’d keep a level head. Yet that night she left the shop alone, the Raven still working at her desk with fait smile lingering on her face. Hurley said she’d be back, that this wasn’t over. The Raven agreed, but for much different reasons.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading!  
> I really appreciated all the support for the first chapter. If you want to reach me my tumblr is @the-forest-hozier-sings-about


	3. Sweetheart

Hurley returned the next day on her lunch break, terrible coffee in hand. There was no reason to wait for lunch. This was work. Yet she did, for some arbitrary explanation even she didn’t believe.  
She sat across from Raven who was intently working on fitting the axle.  
“What didn’t bother to bring me one?” Raven asked, gesturing to the cup.  
“Oh I’m so sorry I- wait no. No I didn’t. This isn’t a hangout, I don’t need to bring you coffee.”  
“I’m kidding, pass me a wrench will you.”  
Hurley huffed and handed it over. “You should tighten that bolt more than the other one, it’s dis-balanced.”  
“Huh thanks,” she began adjusting as Hurley recommended “Looks like you're not just a pretty face.”  
Hurley blushed at that but attempted to shake it off “We need to talk.”  
“Is this not talking?”  
“You know what I mean.” Raven shrugged in response, “I… I should really bring you in.”  
“But you won’t,” She said, looking up from her work.  
“I didn’t say that.”  
“Ok, then arrest me detective,” she said with a smile, Hurley flustered and stumbled over a few incoherent words, “hmm, well if it makes you feel any better Ram, I don’t plan on doing anything in the future. Not that I did anything in the past because I definitely didn’t.”  
“Why should I believe that?”  
Raven shrugged “I am not a person that needs to steal bread to feed their family anymore, if you know what I mean.”  
“Really?”  
She held her hands to her face mimicking her Ravens mask, “I’m good at what I do Ram.”

She opened her mouth to protest then her stone started pinging. She was needed in the field. So she left but insisted this wasn’t over.  
Yet she didn’t return the next day or the one after that. She told herself it was because she was swamped with work. That was all. Hurley’s life was work. Trying to do enough good to disbalance all the bad in the world. Bringing in Raven was the first case that didn’t feel like doing good. 

She followed the leads on the thief, neglecting the extra knowledge she had. The thief's case was getting cold. She hadn’t committed any new crimes after almost two weeks. Maybe she meant what she said. Hurley hoped so.  
Hurley threw herself into her work. Taking on more than usual, and usual was a lot. She’s skipped the next battle wagon race. Hurley pretended it was because she was busy but it was really that she couldn’t handle seeing the Raven. 

Though she couldn’t ignore the fact she kept her ears open for the results. Or the fact she was disappointed to hear the hammerheads won. She wanted to ask how Raven placed but didn’t dare expose herself for caring. Every time she passed the wagon shop she fought the urge to knock on the door.

When she heard the Raven didn’t finish the race it cracked at something inside her.  
She needed to forget the Raven.

Detective Strawberry leaned against Hurley's desk and looked down at the detective. Hurley continued working until the woman cleared her throat.  
“Yes?” Hurley asked.  
“I think you’re the one that's up for the promotion,” Strawberry was someone who liked to gossip. Hurley most definitely wasn’t but she had heard the rumors that someone was up for promotion. Of course she couldn’t help but be intrigued.  
“Really? Why’s that?”  
“Just an instinct.”  
“Ok Strawberry,” Hurley waved her off and got back to work. She wanted the promotion, but talking to her coworkers wasn’t how she’d get it.  
•  
It had been another two weeks when Hurley got the call. She still hadn’t quite processed it while she ran across the rooftop. She’s made a miscalculation. The thief had struck again. It was dark but that hardly slowed the Detective, she caught a shadow in the side street near her and slid down the nearest fire escape. 

She wanted so bad to believe the Raven, but now the tall thief comes to a stop in front of her. She has to face the facts, quite literally.  
“So we meet again,” Raven said, panting slightly.  
“You lied.”  
“Would you believe me if I said I didn’t mean to?”  
Hurley pulls out her staff and charges.  
Raven parries the first blow with her dagger and jumps back. She tries to run to the detectives left but Hurley stops her with a blow to her abdomen. She spits out blood and Hurley freezes. She didn’t mean to hit that hard. Raven uses the opening to pin Hurley to the wall.  
“Don’t worry sweetheart, the bloods not all your fault.”  
Hurley twists out of her grip and grabs the Ravens wrist. The half elf gasps and fails to stagger back. She reaches for her handcuffs but can’t find them on her belt. Then Raven smiles and flashes them in her other hand.  
“Looking for these Ram?”  
Hurley reaches for them but Raven thinks quicker and clicks one side on her left wrist. Before she can connect it onto something Hurley punches her in the jaw. Both women stumble and fall. They trade punches and blood trails down Raven’s chin.  
“Raven don’t make me do this. We both know I have to bring you in.”  
Raven shoves her back, “You don’t understand as much as you think you do sweetheart.” she starts running. Hurley is a few paces behind and she's much shorter but she does her best to keep up. They turn down back roads and alleyways. Hurley realizes too late that they are heading to the city's center. Raven smiles over her shoulder before turning onto the city's busiest street. Once again Hurley is caught by those piercing eyes. Too soon she's lost in the crowd.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry that this chapter is later planned. I think I'm going to change to updating this once a every two weeks. I hope you like it. This chapter was really fun to write.
> 
> If you wanna talk to me or something my tumblr is @the-forest-hozier-sings-about


	4. Regret

Hurley shouldered open the door and bursting into the Ravens shop.  
“You LIED!” She yelled.  
The Raven jumped up from her place under a suspended wagon and hitting her head.  
“Ow... I um don’t know what you mean.”  
“I trusted oh my god I actually believed you meant it.” How could she be this foolish? Hurley couldn’t help but think  
“I did mean it. I am gonna stop.” She walked backwards as she spoke.  
“I can’t do this anymore.” Hurley reached for het belt and the Raven backed up further.  
“Hurley please.”  
“What did you just call me?” She asked, freezing.  
The Raven’s mouth opened silently, “your name is on your badge.”  
Hurley sighed, shaking her head, “Raven you are under arrest by order of the militia for theft and resisting arrest.”  
“Please.”  
Hurley crossed the room in a few quick strides, fast for her size, pulling out handcuffs as she did.  
She reached for the Raven’s wrist she caught her hand.  
“If you resist it won’t help you,” She sighed.  
“Do you know what it’s like to have nothing?” Hurley stared, unsure of how to reply, she continued, “Not to just be alone, but grow up with nothing. Then become an adult and still have nothing. And no one is ever gonna give you everything. So you start taking, because some people have so much. I’m no Robin Hood, Ram, but I think I’m justified.”  
“It’s still breaking the law.”  
“The law never helped me. The people who made the law don’t do people like me favours.”  
“I have a job to do.”  
“Why do you do your job?”  
“I want to help people.”  
“No you don’t.”  
“Pardon.”  
“I’m tired of people and power saying they want to help. You wanna help when it’s convenient.”  
Red started creeping at Hurley’s ears, “I don’t remember asking for your thoughts on morality,” she choked out.”  
“Yeah but I remember having to worry about the morals of people who don’t care about me since I was a kid.”  
“I can’t just bend the rule for you.”  
“Then rewrite them.”

Hurley doesn’t come up with a lie to tell herself when she leaves the shop that day. Her mind is not nearly clear enough to do that. She simply makes a choice she can’t help to think she might regret. A choice not to bring the raven, simply because it feels wrong. Because the women’s words seem to be cutting into her. Realizations that will leave scars.  
•  
“Did that hunch you have end up leading you anywhere?” Strawberry asked the moment she got the chance.  
“No,” Hurley lied.  
“You’ll find her eventually.”  
“I hope so.”  
Detective Strawberry had been worried not finding the thief had been what was dragging the detective down. Hurley’s worries where more caused by the fact for the first time in years she couldn’t find herself.

Fear hit Hurley as she was called into the Captain's office. Somehow everything in her told her he knew. She wasn’t sure how but he knew .  
“Captain,” she said bowing her head as she stepped through the door.  
“Take a seat Detective,” he instructed with a smile, “I might not be calling you that for much longer.”  
“E- excuse me… sir?”  
“Well that’s what I asked to hear to discuss hmm? Oh come on Hurley I thought you must have guessed by now.”  
The halfling looked at him with a blank expression.  
“Don’t look so distraught! You got the premonition!”  
She takes in a breath for the first time in minutes and tries to not make it sound like a gasp.  
“Thank you so much sir.”  
“You deserve it, you’ve proved yourself. The paper work will be on your desk by the end of the day.”  
“I’ll make you proud.”  
Yet she feels no pride walking back to her desk. For the first time such an achievement makes her feel nothing. Not in a neutral way, but in an empty one. That emptiness follows her home. As she sleeps it settles in bed beside her.  
In her apartment that alway feels too big, she closes her eyes all she can see is regret in the shape of a half elf woman.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this chapter is a little shorter! Hopefully the next update will me soon. I’ve started school now so not sure how much time I’ll have to write :/
> 
> As always you can find me on tumblr @the-forest-hozier-sings-about


	5. Pet

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi it’s been awhile but I’m back! Hopefully this chapter being a longer will make up for my absence. Schools absolutely crazy but I’m still updating whenever I can. Thank you for sticking around!

Hurley tells herself she’s going to ignore the problem that is the Raven until it goes away. Almost immediately she realizes that she’s terrible and ignoring things. Also that ignoring this wouldn’t be doing her job, so she blames it on that. (She gotten good at shifting blame off her feelings over the years.) Instead she finds herself keeping an eye on the Raven. If she can’t bring her in yet she’d like to make sure she isn’t doing anymore harm. 

In her spare time Hurley goes to a different cafe than usual, one near the Raven’s shop. The Raven spends most of her time there it seems. More than wherever she must live. Hurley never follows her home, it seems like crossing a boundary. Not that they have boundaries. Not that she’s anything more than a case. A case Hurley should close, but doesn’t. She focuses on other work she’s been assigned when at the office and spends more money on coffee than usually in her budget when not. 

The Raven’s words flood her head. She  _ does _ wanna help people, that’s why she does anything. Why she pushes harder, why she throws herself into her work. She needs to have something to consume her, and if she needs something in that way she owes the world to make it helpful. The Ravens now consumed her thoughts, that helps no one. 

A few weeks -she'd barely noticed passing- later the baristas waves away her silver coin. 

“Someone paid for you already.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah, they said it was karma or paying it forward or something.”

“Oh… how kind,” Hurley said, “just my usual.”

“I gotcha, the person left a note too, if you’re sitting in your normal spot I’ll bring it to you with your cup.”

“That would be great thank you,” Hurley said with a smile, but her heart sped up. Something about this felt terribly off. 

As she crumpled the note in her hand she knew she was right. “If you like coffee and me that bad I have a French press ;)” it read, signed with a doodle of a bird. She drinks her coffee quickly and leaves. 

Once in her lonely apartment she slumps down against the nearest wall. Hurley knows her job isn’t black and white. She isn’t stupid. She still has a job to do, she advocates for kids making mistakes. Before she became a detective sometimes she’d give a warning and let them go. The Raven isn’t a kid. She made her choices and Hurley made hers. 

Except Hurley hasn’t made a choice about this. She wasn’t sure if the guilt over the way her heart skipped a beat when they locked eyes or the guilt over whether she really had any moral high ground was worse.

One shouldn’t even be a factor, and the other could tear her apart if she thought about it too long. 

Why did she have to shatter her world view and tease in a way that really did remind Hurley of all those stupid books teenagers can’t help but read. Her life isn’t fantasy. It’s her job and friendly smiles and enjoying her own company. She can’t fall for the antagonist… she can’t start questioning who that is. 

She should bring her in, or maybe she shouldn’t. Hurley always knew what she wanted because she never wanted much. This is too much. 

  
  


She decides she needs to talk to her and goes back to the cafe two days later just as the sun is setting. Her coffee is paid for again, left with a note saying “missed you ram”. This has to be the worst casing Hurley has ever done.. She must already be inside by this time day so Hurleys waiting for her to leave. She could just knock on the door, but she won’t. What the fuck is she doing?

After a few more minutes she starts walking. Not really sure where to, but she feels unproductive and creepy staying. While contemplating crossing the street to knock on the shop's door or continuing on to clear her head she hears something. A noise that has to be a scream in an alley ahead, she starts running. 

As soon as she’s a foot in Hurley senses someone step behind her and she stiffens. There’s lanterns in the street but this alley creates shadows. Out of them step a few more people. There’s four people surrounding her and she’s unarmed. The one behind her places a hand on her shoulder and it solidifies how small she is and feels right now. As she searches for the origins of the scream and finds nothing, realization sinks into her bones. It was just a trap. She’s the fool that fell for it and now she’s gotta figure out what kind.

“Hi there officer,” a blonde elf man leading the group says leaning down. “I have some interesting questions for you, how does that sound?”

She tries to keep an even voice “I think I’d like it if you folks let me be on my merry way.”

“That’s not too bad of a request, let’s do that after you tell me what you know about the Raven.”

Of course, she thinks, of course this has to be tied into her.

“The battle wagon racer?” She does her best to sound confused. 

“That’s the one! But I feel like we’d both recognize her a little better from her other career.” 

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” her hands want to shake but she doesn’t let them. 

“You’re a bad liar, must make it hard working for the militia. So is she paying you off or are you just a pet?”

“Excuse you?”

He grabs her jaw, “is she giving you money to cover things up for her or does she just find you cute enough to keep around?”

She pulls his hand off, “I would never take bribes! Who the hell do you think you are!?”

He glances away from her to smile at the other three “So she’s a pet!” He looks back down, “That means you’re less replaceable.”

“Are you threatening me?”

“Only by proximity. I wanna see what Raven would do to get you back.”

“I don’t- I barely know her, I really don’t get what you want from me.”

“She placed you under her care. Crossing you is crossing her, don’t you wanna know if she means it?”

Hurley tries and fails to take a step back. This is bad. This is incomprehensibly bad. 

“I don’t know what you’re talking about but I’m not  _ under her care _ . I don’t know her and I take care of myself.” 

“Are you taking care of yourself right now?”

She feels herself pale, and switches tactics, “If you let me go now I won’t report you, but you can’t just threaten an officer like this.”

“I don’t think we have to worry about being reported,” he straightens and begins speaking in elvish, which she doesn’t know. 

Hurley starts thinking. The hand on her shoulder is firm but it’s pushing down. If she twists away he’ll fall forward. Then there’s still three people. They’re all armed but only one has a weapon in their hand. If she pulls the person behind her forward she could probably use them to shield one side. Then maybe she could run. The elf man starts drawing a sword and she begins recalculating. 

She doesn’t have to think for too long. A figure steps up behind the elf putting a dagger to his neck. The hand on his sword stalls.

“Hey Birdie I was waiting for you!”

“Let her go and we can have a civil conversation,” the Raven is wearing her black mask. Her tone is even and cold. Hurley’s immoral knight in black armour.

“I don’t think I’m in the mood to be civil, or in the mood to have less bargaining power than you.”

“You wanna play that way? How about no talking? What if I just slit your throat?”

He says something in elvish with a grin and the Raven stills. Hurley sees movement over her shoulder and leans forward, pulling the person behind her to the ground. As she does a blade glints off her shoulder. She yells and stumbles back. The pain throws her off and she doesn’t notice the woman to her left grabbing onto her until she jabs her thumb into the cut. She curses and drops to one knee.

“Hey!” The Raven yells, “back off before I make my odds better! Think I can’t handle three on two?”

Everyone freezes. Hurley closes her eyes, she can’t really hear anything above the ringing in her ears. She’s brought back into her body by a familiar hand tugging on her wrist.

“Run,” the Raven says, pulling her to her feet. She lets the Raven guide her as they rush out of the alley. They go down back streets only stopping once they reach a back door. The Raven unlocks it.

“Come on, we need to do something about that cut and get out of sight.”

“Where are we?”

“Back door to the shop.”

“How can I trust you?”

“You don’t have to trust me I just wanna help.”

Hurley sighs and follows her inside.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! This fic is a really great way for me to let off some steam and it makes me so happy other people like it. 
> 
> If you wanna talk my tumblr is @the-forest-hozier-sings-about
> 
> My upload schedule is non existent but the next chapter shouldn’t take as long as last time. I appreciate your understanding.


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